A Better Mousetrap
by Zarius
Summary: Penfold won't settle for time, and Squawkencluck won't accept hope as a mere illusion (set after "Mouse Fall")


**DANGER MOUSE:**

 **A BETTER MOUSETRAP**

 **(contains spoilers for "Mouse Fall")**

 **WRITTEN BY ZARIUS**

* * *

Penfold did not want to check the clock. He did not want to even check his watch. For time had to stand absolutely still.

He couldn't let it keep ticking away, knowing that eventually the window of opportunity it provided would close. For time can prove an exhausting process.

It can wear people out, change their moods, force changes upon their perceptions, and convince them to move forward, and accept the passing of the present as nothing but a past age.

He could not bear to take that age they were presently living in for granted.

The twilight age of Danger Mouse.

He heard a buzzing sound emit from the door, collecting himself, he managed, through his grave and shaken voice, to manage a simple "enter"

The door opened and Professor Squawkencluck entered the room, holding a flask of warm tea and two empty cups.

"You left this back at Crumhorn's building, figured you could do with a cup" she said, placing the flask on the table and sitting down. Her hand patted the fabric of the couch, urging Penfold to sit down.

Penfold hesitated, but eventually complied with the Professor's silent request. The Professor poured Pefold a portion of the warm tea and also poured herself some. Through it all, she kept a wry gentle. Penfold could, however, sense there was some measure of hurt behind the sincerity.

"You miss him too huh?" he said.

"I was just thinking back to this afternoon, before the villains attacked headquarters" said the Professor, taking a small sip of her tea.

"When you showed us that teleporter?" asked Penfold.

"He was quick to criticize me for it, when I brought up that the teleportation couldn't supply you with clothes or memory" she said, "Strangely, I didn't get mad at him for it like I normally do. It's almost as if I knew, somehow that if I lost my temper with him that day, I may never have the chance to make it up to him"

"Maybe you just had too much pride in your product" Penfold replied.

"I'm sure there's a detail or two I'm deliberately leaving out you know...I'm missing a trick somewhere" she said, taking her glasses off to give them a good rub with a small handkerchief she kept in her pocket.

Penfold took a sip of his own, but realized he wasn't that keen on the tea. It was reminding him of the battle they had, the battle that had brought the chief to the point of exhaustion. It was a reminder of him offering his friend help at a point where he sorely needed it, only for DM's pride to get in the way.

"Pride in your product...that's what DM had too. The product of his years of training and battles was ego" he confessed.

"Maybe that's what we all have to keep in check, leave ego at the door and firmly close that door shut, separate our pride from our professionalism, maybe we'd have a better danger agency, maybe then there would be no chance of a better Mouse Trap" The Professor added, putting her glasses back on.

Penfold saw a small tear run down the Professor's cheek, he reached out for her hand, stroking her fingers nimbly with his own.

"There's still a few more hours to go before they call off the search, do you want to stay here with me until it

The Professor clutched his hand and held it tight, she reached deep inside herself and toughened up slightly, putting on a brave front.

"Sorry Penfold, I've got to get back to the lab and analyze the I-Patch DM left behind when he vanished, I'm sure there's something I'm not catching on to about this whole situation"

"That's ok, find out what sort of trick you're missing, I'll stay here and maintain the illusion"

The Professor smiled and kissed Penfold delicately on the cheek.

"I know what you mean Penfold, but don't think of hope as an illusion ok?" she said, before swiftly departing.

Penfold stared out at the window of the Mayfare headquarters, looking on fondly at the brightly lit stars.

The beauty of the reality before him gave him no room for doubt. There was a sense of magic in the air.

And he knew somehow, like all great illusions, the trick would reveal itself.

And Danger Mouse, the world's greatest secret agent would emerge all the better from the better mousetrap


End file.
